Health Systems

EVA-BHN is an £18.86m health voice and accountability programme working at community, district and province level in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) since February 2014. It is part of DFID’s Provincial Health and Nutrition Programme (PHNP) to support delivery of an Essential Health Services Package (EHSP) by the Governments of Punjab and KP. This assessment… Read more

Decades of conflict in South Sudan, pre and post-independence in 2011, poverty and poor access to services have increased the rate of disability and rendered people with disabilities more marginalised and excluded as a result of the numerous attitudinal, environmental, and institutional barriers they face, and the lack of concerted efforts to include them. This… Read more

This article presents the findings of a theory‐based evaluation of the Sierra Leone Free Health Care Initiative (FHCI), using mixed methods. Analytical approaches included time‐series analysis of national survey data to examine mortality and morbidity trends, as well as modelling of impact using the Lives Saved Tool and expenditure trend analysis. We find that the… Read more

A seminar organised by Oxford Policy Management in June 2017 brought together practitioners and policy makers to exchange insights on practical challenges for the implementation of social health protection (SHP) programmes, and social health insurance (SHI) in particular. Kicked-off with a presentation of recent experiences from Bangladesh and Pakistan, the discussion touched on a range… Read more

This project completion review (PRC) provides details on the outputs, lessons and recommendations from the DFID funded programme ‘Transition and Recovery of Nepal’s Health System’ which came to a close in May 2017. The aim of the programme was to provide technical assistance to support the recovery of Nepal’s damaged health services, across 31 districts… Read more

Solid waste and faecal sludge management in situations of rapid mass displacement are important to public health and providing for a better environment. Despite this, both have been neglected in WASH programmes, which tend to have a focus on water. However increasing efforts are being made to find solutions to challenges in solid waste and… Read more

This rapid review report has identified the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) options used in emergency settings, with decentralised wastewater treatment systems (DEWATS) and mobile wastewater treatment units performing most effectively and with minimal costs. Examples are taken from refugee camps and internally displaced people (IDP) settlements due to the Iraq war, the Israeli-Palestine conflict, and… Read more

This report focuses on the evidence on the health, economic and other benefits of investing in family planning. Family planning allows people to attain their desired number of children and determine the spacing of pregnancies. It is achieved through use of contraceptive methods and the treatment of infertility (WHO 2015). A large and growing body… Read more

This report looks at the evidence available on effective behaviour change communication for increasing the uptake of family planning methods. It provides information on several different methods. Studies indicate that if a woman has been given advice to adopt postpartum contraception three or more times, the couple are more likely to have adopted a method…. Read more

While ‘accountability’ has become an increasingly popular buzzword in health systems debates and health service delivery, it has multiple – and contested – meanings. From 19-21 July 2017, Institute of Development Studies (IDS) brought together 80-plus activists, researchers, public health practitioners and policy makers to examine critically the forces that shape accountability in health systems, from… Read more

People with disabilities have been found to ‘form one of the most socially excluded groups in any displaced or conflict-affected community’ (Pearce et al, 2016: 119). They may have difficulty accessing humanitarian assistance programmes, due to a variety of societal, attitudinal, environmental and communication barriers, and are at greater risk of violence than their non-disabled… Read more

About HEART

HEART is a consortium of leading organisations in international development, health, nutrition, water and sanitation, education, and social protection. We work together to support the use of evidence and expert advice in policy-making.

HEART helps time-pressured decision-makers better understand, interpret and apply evidence. Our knowledge and consultancy services are tailored to support policy decisions and we respond rapidly to requests for assistance as they arise.